Amine-functionalized metal-organic frameworks, EN-MIL-100(Cr) and MMEN-MIL-100(Cr), were prepared by grafting ethylendiamine and N,N'-dimethylethylendiamine molecules, respectively, on coordinatively unsaturated chromium(III) cations in MIL-100 metal-organic frameworks. Although amine grafting results in a decrease of surface area and pore volume of the functionalized samples compared to the bare MIL-100(Cr), results showed that the incorporation of amine groups into the MIL-100 framework improve both carbon dioxide adsorption capacity and kinetics, especially in the case of ethylendiamine. Heats of carbon dioxide adsorption in EN-MIL-100(Cr) and MMEN-MIL-100(Cr) were of about 80 kJ mol -1 at zero coverage, a value higher than that shown by MIL-100(Cr), which suggests a chemisorption between CO2 and pendant amine groups. Measurement of CO2 adsorption-desorption cycles proved that functionalized materials show good regenerability and stability.
IntroductionOver 80% of our current global energy demand is satisfied by burning fossil fuels which releases large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. 1 The consequent increase of greenhouse effect, which can adversely affect climate, is causing worldwide concern. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable, and cleaner, energy sources could provide a way out of this problem in the long run, but we still need a mid-term solution to allow the humanity to continue using fossil fuels until cost-effective renewable energy can be implemented on a large scale. 2 Carbon dioxide capture and sequestration (CCS) could constitute part of that mid-term solution, particularly if current research in this area brings about a significant reduction of cost.
3-7Current technology for CCS uses mainly liquid amine-based chemical absorbents, 8,9 but besides the high amount of energy required for regenerating the sorbent, 10,11 that technology poses some corrosion problems and environmental hazards derived from waste processing, unintentional emissions and accidental release. 12,13 To overcome the drawbacks of amine aqueous solutions, several types of porous adsorbents that can reversibly capture and release CO2 (in temperature-or pressure-swing cycles) are currently under active investigation as a means to facilitate CO2 capture from flue gases of stationary sources.
14-18Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising adsorbent materials for CO2 capture due to their high surface area, large pore volume and tunable pore surface. [19][20][21][22] The ability to design and tune the properties of MOFs makes these adsorbent materials distinct from other traditional adsorbents such as zeolites and carbon materials. [23][24][25][26][27][28] For effective CO2 capture from flue gas, both high CO2 capacity and high CO2 selectivity are requisite attributes of the MOF adsorbents.While various strategies have been studied to improve CO2 adsorption in MOFs, three approaches proved to be particularly effective: incorporation of unsaturated metal cation centers, metal doping and chemical functionalizatio...